Hi there!! My name is Martin, and I'm thrilled to be a '27 blogger for People Places Pines! A small rural town in Maine called Veazie is where I call home, and I can't wait to tell you about what life at Dartmouth is like! Carving the slopes in the winter, hiking through woods in autumn, or basking in the Green in spring and summer, that's where you'll find me! Stay tuned for everything Big Green!
In this course, we covered all the basics of ecology: how organisms interact with each other and with their ecosystems. My favorite parts of the class were the labs: they took place outside and we explored ecological concepts around campus!
This course was on everything energy: how we use it, how we generate it, and how we can improve our current energy systems in light of climate change. We visited nearby energy systems, including Dartmouth's very own heating and energy facilities. This course was awesome!
This was a project-based class where we chose an important issue and then designed a solution, using the principles and methods we learned in class. My group made a smart trash can to make recycling easier!
My Classes this Spring (24S): Physics 14, Intro to Engineering, and Nature-Based Solutions
As my first spring term came to an end, I wanted to provide some thoughts and reflections on my classes this term. At Dartmouth, most students take three classes a term, and that's exactly what I did this past spring. Engineering and physics together can be a difficult term, so I had my work cut out for me! However, I really enjoyed my classes so it was well worth it!
For my first spring term at Dartmouth (designated 24S–meaning the "Spring (S)" of 2024), I took three courses that piqued my interest: Introductory Physics II (PHYS 14), Intro to Engineering (ENGS 21), and Nature-Based Solutions (my First-Year Seminar). Here's what each course is like, along with some of my thoughts.
Introductory Physics II (PHYS 14)
This "introductory" course was my second physics course taken at Dartmouth. Many students take this course as a prerequisite for a certain major (engineering, for example). Or perhaps, they're just interested in physics! This course covered the basics of electromagnetics—the subsection of physics that looks at electricity, how it's generated, and how it relates to magnetic properties. It involved many equations and some tough math but I was interested all term!
Some equations we used in Physics 14 this spring!
PHYS14 was one of my more challenging courses this spring. Physics is a challenging subject, but I had a great professor who was genuinely passionate about the topic–many times, he would share personal anecdotes or experiences he'd had relating to the content. Additionally, physics is a laboratory course, meaning we spent time outside of the classroom learning about how circuits work, how to generate electricity, and even how polarized sunglasses work.
Intro to Engineering (ENGS 21)
Intro to Engineering is a classic (and favorite) engineering course at Dartmouth. It's something every engineering student who passes through Dartmouth Engineering will take, and it's for good reason. In ENGS 21, we learned about the basics of engineering and design, and then spent the entire term in teams actually creating a working product to solve some given problem. Along the way, we were introduced to the different types of engineering software, the machine shop at Dartmouth, the makerspace, and so much more.
Part of the smart-trash sorting device we designed in ENGS 21.
While not a class where you'll have exams or a whole lot of homework, Intro to Engineering demands your time and effort, as well as the ability to work in teams and think creatively. Overall, it was one of my favorite courses I've taken so far at Dartmouth!
Nature-Based Solutions (ENVS 7.17)
This was my "First-Year Seminar" at Dartmouth. As a first-year at Dartmouth, you'll take an introductory seminar course designed to introduce you to small-class discussions and writing at Dartmouth. There are a number of specialized "topics" of each course that you can pick from based on whichever piques your interest. I chose "Nature-Based Solutions" because of my interest in sustainability and environment!
In this class, we discussed and wrote about environmental issues and the different types of natural solutions we can employ to remedy them. This includes things like eco-friendly design, better farming practices, renewable energy, and environmental justice. Overall, I really enjoyed this introductory writing seminar. If you come to Dartmouth, I definitely recommend choosing this class as your "first year seminar" course!
Those are my closing thoughts on my first spring term (my third term at Dartmouth). I'll make sure to update you with more thoughts on my classes next term. Stay tuned!
Unlike some other universities, many of the STEM lecture classes at Dartmouth require concurrent enrollment in a laboratory section. What is it like navigating that time as a student?
